The Browning Hi-Power is a single-action, semi-automatic pistol available in the 9×19mm Parabellum and .40 S&W calibers. It was based on a design by American firearms inventor John Browning, and completed by Dieudonné Saive at FN Herstal. Browning died in 1926, several years before the design was finalized. FN Herstal named it the "High Power" in allusion to the 13-round magazine capacity, almost twice that of other designs at the time, such as the Walther P38 or Colt M1911.
The Beretta 92 is a series of semi-automatic pistols designed and manufactured by Beretta of Italy. The Beretta 92 was designed in 1975, and production began in 1976. Many variants in several different calibers continue to be used to the present.
The Beretta 92G-SD and 96G-SD Special Duty handguns are semi-automatic, locked-breech delayed recoil-operated, double/single-action pistols, fitted with the heavy, wide Brigadier slide, chambered for the 9×19mm Parabellum cartridge (92G-SD) and the .40 S&W cartridge (96G-SD), framed with the addition of the tactical equipment rail, designed and manufactured by Beretta.
The SIG Sauer P220 is a semi-automatic pistol designed in 1975 by the SIG Arms AG division of Schweizerische Industrie Gesellschaft, and produced by J. P. Sauer & Sohn, in Eckernförde. It is currently manufactured by both SIG Sauer companies: SIG Sauer GMBH, of Eckernförde, Germany; and SIG Sauer, Inc., of New Hampshire, United States.
The SIG Sauer P226 is a full-sized service pistol made by SIG Sauer. This model is available in four chamberings: the 9×19mm Parabellum, .40 S&W, .357 SIG, or .22 Long Rifle. It has the same mechanism of operation as the SIG Sauer P220, but is developed to use higher capacity, double stack magazines in place of the single stack magazines of the P220.
The Ruger P series is a line of centerfire semi-automatic pistols made by Sturm, Ruger & Company produced from 1985 to 2013. The P-series pistols were designed for military, police, civilian and recreational use. The designs are largely based on the Browning action found in the M1911 pistol, but with minor variations, generally related to the safety mechanism and the barrel-camblock interface. Reviews have considered them rugged, reliable, and strong, though this strength comes at the price of bulk and a blocky appearance.
The HS2000 is a series of semi-automatic pistols. Polymer-framed and striker-fired, the series is manufactured by HS Produkt in Karlovac, Croatia. In Europe, the pistols are marketed as the HS and XDM series, while in the United States, the pistols are sold as the Springfield Armory XD and XD-M series, respectively. Other derivative variants sold by Springfield Armory, Inc., are unique to the American market.
The Kel-Tec P-11 is a compact, semi-automatic, short-recoil operated pistol chambered in 9 mm Luger. It was manufactured by Kel-Tec CNC Industries of Cocoa, FL from 1995 to 2019.
The Hi-Point Model C-9 is a polymer-framed, semi-automatic, blowback-operated pistol manufactured by Hi-Point Firearms. It is chambered in 9×19mm Parabellum and is rated to accept +P ammunition. It became well known for its low retail price of under $200. An improved model, the YC9, was originally expected for release by late 2019, but was finally released for sale in August 2023.
The Beretta 90-Two is a series of semi-automatic pistols designed and manufactured by Beretta of Italy. It was released in 2006 as an enhanced version of the Beretta 92, and is produced in 9×19mm, 9×21mm IMI and .40 S&W versions.
The Smith & Wesson SW series, most commonly referred to as the Smith & Wesson Sigma, was Smith & Wesson's first venture into using synthetic materials in pistol construction, with high-strength polymer material for the frame.
Glock is a brand of polymer-framed, short recoil-operated, striker-fired, locked-breech semi-automatic pistols designed and produced by Austrian manufacturer Glock Ges.m.b.H.
Muzzle rise, muzzle flip or muzzle climb refers to the tendency of a firearm's or airgun's muzzle to rise up after firing. It more specifically refers to the seemingly unpredictable "jump" of the firearm's muzzle, caused by combined recoil from multiple shots being fired in quick succession. It has an adverse effect on maintaining accuracy with using automatic weapons or rapid-firing semi-automatic firearms, as a moving muzzle can throw off the shooter's aim, causing subsequent shots to miss the intended target.
The SIG Sauer P938 is a micro-compact single-action pistol chambered for the 9×19mm Parabellum cartridge, manufactured by SIG Sauer and introduced at the 2011 SHOT Show. A variant chambered for .22 Long Rifle was introduced in 2014.
The Ruger SR1911 is a semi-automatic pistol modeled after the classic Colt M1911 pistol.
The Remington R51 is a semi-automatic pistol announced in late 2013 by Remington Arms and was available to the market in January 2014. The R51 is a modernized version of the John Pedersen-designed Remington Model 51 pistol now chambered in 9×19mm caliber. Remington announced plans to offer the pistol in .40 S&W and other calibers. However, no other chamberings were offered by the time of Remington's bankruptcy in 2018.
The SIG Sauer P227 is an American-designed and produced semi-automatic pistol which was introduced in 2013 and discontinued in 2019. The P227 introduced a double-stack .45 ACP caliber handgun into the SIG Sauer lineup. It was introduced along with the P224.
The Heckler & Koch VP9 is a polymer-framed semi-automatic striker-fired handgun. The VP designation in the name refers to Volkspistole, which translates to "people's pistol", while SFP stands for "striker-fired pistol". The 9 stands for the caliber designation of 9 mm. The VP9 is the third striker-fired pistol that HK has produced. A variant of the VP9, the VP40, is chambered for .40 S&W; the VP40 is known as SFP40 in Europe and Canada.
The SIG Sauer P320 is a modular semi-automatic pistol made by SIG Sauer, Inc., SIG Sauer's American branch. It is a further development of the SIG Sauer P250, utilizing a striker-fired mechanism in lieu of a double action only hammer system. The P320 can be chambered in 9×19mm Parabellum, .357 SIG, .40 S&W, .45 ACP, and 10mm Auto and can be easily converted from one caliber to another; a change from .357 SIG to .40 S&W requires only a barrel change; a change from 9mm to .357 SIG or .40 S&W is accomplished using a caliber exchange kit.
The SIG Sauer P365 is a striker-fired subcompact semi-automatic pistol manufactured by SIG Sauer, intended for everyday carry. It is offered with Tritium XRAY3 Day/Night Sights and two 10-round magazines; one flush fit and the other with an extended finger tab, and a stainless steel frame with polymer grip module. It is primarily chambered in 9×19mm Parabellum and is rated for +P ammunition while utilizing offset double-stack magazines. A variant chambered in .380 ACP was introduced in February 2022. The P365, which replaced the P290RS, is produced in Newington, New Hampshire. In both 2018 and 2019, it was the best selling handgun in the United States.
